The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 100

After school, Percival wanted to walk home together, but Vivienne shut him down hard.

She always had a lot of stuff on her mind about her mom that she wanted to talk about with Iris, and having Percival there would make it awkward.

Vivienne and Iris had already informed Dorian and Cordelia, so they picked up Thaddeus, grabbed a bite, and headed to the amusement park.

It’d been a long time, and Iris’s face seemed a lot older than Vivienne remembered, but she was still as gentle as ever.

Iris held Thaddeus and smiled at Vivienne. It reminded her of an old photo where Iris was holding her with the same gentleness.

That was her only time at an amusement park.

Vivienne was prepared for Iris to plead for the Hawthorn family.

But Iris dragged Thaddeus straight to the merry-go-round as soon as they got there and waved at Vivienne. “Come on, Vivienne, join us.”

Vivienne cracked a smile. Her beauty was like a breath of springtime sunshine.

Aside from a few rides with height restrictions, the three of them did the whole park.

In the end, Iris and Thaddeus came out of the haunted house and got all excited after seeing the Ferris wheel.

While queuing, Thaddeus wanted some ice cream. Iris turned to Vivienne. “Hold the line, Vivienne. I’ll take him to get some. We’ll be right back.”

“Sure,” Vivienne nodded.

However, they were taking forever. It was almost their turn, and there was still no sign of them.

Just as Vivienne was hesitating at the ticket gate, someone grabbed her hand from the side and dragged her onto the Ferris wheel.

She whipped around to see who it was and frowned. “Mr. Ellington, don’t you have anything better to do?”

The Ferris wheel started its slow ascent as the door closed.

Percival was a big guy. The cabin was not small, but it still felt a bit cramped to him.

sat back in the seat. “Isolde wanted to come to the park. What are the

pointed

to see Thomas with Isolde in the queue. The

12.15

spotted Vivienne and

the engagement party, Percival’s parents took Isolde back. Percival’s mom, Cecilia, didn’t like Vivienne, so

hands at Vivienne, indicating that he

a smirk on her face. As if to say,

because she had questions for Iris about her

Percival still followed, which

the perfect fiancé. He always behaved appropriately and did a lot for her. Most girls would have fallen madly in love with him by now. They would have even been ready to give

But she was Vivienne.

eggshells for

which was

she found out that he

she would scrutinize his every move to see

tolerated him always being around her, not because she was moved by him, but to see his

used to hiding herself.

Ferris wheel slowly turned as their cabin

out the window. The night sky seemed close but

looked down upon the amusement park lights and the tiny

line with Thomas and Isolde, both kids were hand in hand, laughing and

far off, fireworks lit up the entire sky. It was a riot of dazzling

the fireworks, and Percival was

in the changing light of

this amusement park for you.” After saying this, Percival found that his throat was now a bit dry. He had to fake

in the moment he turned his head, the cabin’s glass reflected the

Chapter 100

so intense that even

slight smile. “You want to buy

really like it

how about we make a bet?” Vivienne’s

“Bet on what?”

can buy this amusement park for me, I’ll do something for you.” Vivienne leaned in slightly, with a hint of mischief in her smile. “If you can’t, you do

“Anything?”

“Yep.”

up to

danced in her eyes,